Electrical remodeling in fibrillating canine atrium: action potential alternans during rapid atrial pacing and late phase 3 early afterdepolarization after cessation of rapid atrial pacing

Int Heart J. 2010;51(5):354-8. doi: 10.1536/ihj.51.354.

Abstract

Sustained atrial fibrillation (AF) was induced by atrial burst pacing, and monophasic action potentials (MAPs) were recorded. MAP alternans was observed at a cycle length (CL) of 167.5 ± 28.2 msec before burst pacing and 201.3 ± 40.2 msec after burst pacing. AF > 5 minutes duration was induced in 1 dog in the control condition but in all 8 dogs after burst pacing. The difference in RA MAPD(80) of the first spontaneous beat and steady-state sinus rhythm was significantly larger after atrial burst pacing than before atrial burst pacing (31.5 ± 15.9 msec versus 8.2 ± 9.0 msec) In 4 dogs, late phase 3 early after depolarization was observed after rapid atrial pacing. Rapid atrial pacing-induced electrical remodeling includes APD alternans during rapid atrial pacing and also causes an increase in the MAPD of the initial several beats and the development of late phase 3 early afterdepolarizations after a sudden increase in CL.

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials / physiology
  • Animals
  • Atrial Fibrillation / physiopathology*
  • Atrial Fibrillation / therapy
  • Atrial Function / physiology*
  • Cardiac Pacing, Artificial* / methods
  • Dogs
  • Electric Countershock
  • Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac
  • Heart Atria / physiopathology*